


Writer's Block

by thatnerdemily



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 18:30:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17647709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatnerdemily/pseuds/thatnerdemily
Summary: “I’m doing some research on my next novel. It doesn’t have a name yet, but the idea is there. I’ve done vampires and werewolves and fairies, but never witches. I’d like some first-hand testimony on what it’s like to be a witch,” he said simply. There was not negativity in his voice at the words this time. So, Magnus stepped forward, holding out his hand.“Well, Alec Lightwood. I’m your witch.”******In which Alec Lightwood is a novelist who needs a witch for accuracy in his book. Magnus Bane is a witch who is way more intriguing than Alec was expecting. Fluff, Angst, and Happy Endings happen.





	Writer's Block

Magnus Bane was a witch. He didn’t so much as like that term, but it described a part of him that he was unashamed of. He realized at the young age of six that there was magic inside of him. He drove his parents crazy, conjuring up snacks when he was hungry and levitating himself over baby gates, but that was just part of parenting a witch. He wasn’t exactly sure how he received his powers. There were rumors that his grandmother made potions and danced in the moonlight, but that decidedly got her put in a nursing home sooner than she would have liked. Magnus was happy being a witch. He was able to help people who may not be able to help themselves, and he had the greatest friends a person could ask for. 

Ten years ago, Magnus and his best friend Ragnor started a shop. They called it Pandemonium. This shop contained potions, relics, gems, and anything else that could be used in witchcraft. Magnus and Ragnor took their duties as witches seriously, gathering together at least once a month on the full moon with their little coven consisting of Catarina, a nurse by day, her daughter Madzie, and Tessa. 

This night of the full moon was no different. As he was about to head to the front door to turn the sign of Pandemonium from open to closed, the bells signaling a visitor chimed. 

“I’m sorry, we’re about to close. Full moon nights we close at 6,” he stated in his business voice, barely glancing up from the candles he was blowing out. He heard the door shut and decided to take a peek at the person who obviously wasn’t good at following directions. 

“No, I’m sorry. I would have been here earlier, but my sister has a tendency to keep me over far longer than I need to be.” He flashed a grin at the shop owner and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I’m Alec Lightwood,” he introduced himself, that grin never faltering. Magnus looked him up and down, faintly recognizing the name. 

“Alec Lightwood… The novelist?” He narrowed his eyes, searching his brain for the titles of one of his books. He knew that Ragnor had some on the shelf. He glided his way over and grabbed the first one in sight. Battles from the Night. Oh, yes. Vampires and Werewolves feuding. He was a fantast writer. 

“That would be me.” He glanced around the shop, taking in all of the oddities before him. “I’m here on business. The person who runs this shop believes he’s a witch, right? How do you feel working for a ‘witch’?” Magnus could hear the inflection in his voice at the words but chose to ignore it. 

“Well, I get paid to work in a shop that helps others with their deepest and darkest desires. I feel lucky. Now, what business do you have with Magnus Bane?” He shoved the book back onto the shelf, albeit slightly harder than necessary, before turning around and facing the writer. 

“I’m doing some research on my next novel. It doesn’t have a name yet, but the idea is there. I’ve done vampires and werewolves and fairies, but never witches. I’d like some first-hand testimony on what it’s like to be a witch,” he said simply. There was not negativity in his voice at the words this time. So, Magnus stepped forward, holding out his hand. 

“Well, Alec Lightwood. I’m your witch.”

Alec let his eyes widen a split second, his grin faltering a bit at the introduction. But as quickly as it went, it reappeared back onto his face, his own hand jutting out to take the witches. 

“Magnus Bane, pleasure to meet you. You don’t look like a witch,” he said conversationally, letting his eyes linger on Magnus’ body a bit longer than intended. Magnus smirked at him, letting his hand fall away. 

“Were you expecting a crooked nose and warts galore, Alexander?” The writer jolted a bit at the use of his full name before chuckling lightly and making his way farther into the shop.

“I wasn’t expecting someone so… pleasant.” He said carefully, picking up a quarter sized gem off the table. “Is this going to turn me into a toad or something?” Magnus could tell he was joking by the light in his eyes. He really did have impeccable eyes. 

“That’s carnelian. Are you looking for courage? Maybe a boost in self-confidence?” He glances up and down Alec’s body again, letting his eyes linger as the writer’s had. “I think it’s a no on the last part.” He shot a flirtatious smile to Alec before leading him over to another table. “I think you’d be more apt to try something like amazonite. It’s been known to increase creative expression. As a writer, I’m sure this could work in your favor.” He picked up the stone, balancing it on his fingertips before tossing it to Alec. “On the house. Now, you said you need some help with your new novel?” Alec pocketed the gem, letting his fingers rub against it in his pocket. 

“I’m looking to write a story on witches. They’ve been touched upon in novels, but not… realistically. I have this idea about a witch and a scientist. She’s constantly defying the odds and he keeps trying to rationally explain what’s happening.” He laughs at his own thoughts, keeping Magnus’ gaze. 

“You want to write a romantic comedy? That’s not your usual style, is it?” He vaguely remembers the bloody plot of Battles from the Night, but he remembers enough to know that his usually style isn’t so light. 

“It’s not, but I’m versatile,” he says suggestively. Raising his eyebrows at the witch, a twinkle in his eye. “I choose what I write and if my readers don’t like it, then they can wait for my next book. Life goes on, right?” Magnus shrugs his shoulders, letting his fingertips graze his bookshelf. He pretends not to notice Alec’s eyes following his every move, his tongue slipping out slightly to wet his bottom lip. 

“I think I could be of service if you want to…” He’s interrupted by the door swinging open once again. He mentally curses himself for forgetting to flip the sign for the day. Stupid Alec Lightwood. His eyes make his way to the door but soften as a small, old woman enters, clutching a photo in her hands. “Mrs. Healy, what can I do for you today?” He glides over, taking her hands into his gently. 

“Mr. Bane…” Magnus quirks an eyebrow at her, causing a sigh to release from her lips. “Magnus, I have a favor to ask you.” Magnus leads her over to a table and two chairs besides the door. 

“What can I do for you, Carol?” He asks again, releasing her hands. 

“Well, it’s my granddaughter Cordelia. She’s a beautiful soul, one who sees the good in everybody but herself. She has prom coming up and…” Another sigh escapes Carol’s lips. “She wants to ask Timmy White but she’s just so shy. She doesn’t think he’ll say yes. I was wondering if you could maybe give them a push. I know they’d be just so precious together and…” Magnus holds up a finger, silencing her. 

“Carol, you know I can’t manipulate when it comes to matters of the heart,” he says softly, reaching out to take the picture in her hands. 

“Yes, I know Magnus, but can’t you do something?” She pleads, her eyes never leaving Magnus’. Alec looks on from his place at the back of the store, enjoying the way this exchange is happening. Maybe he can work it into his book.

“I will try my best, dear Carol, but this is all in Cordelia’s hands.” He grips the picture gently, before placing it back on the table. “I will work on it and let you know, okay? Now, I’m really about to close the shop so I’ll need to say goodbye.” He grabs her hand and leads her to the door. Carol leans over and hugs him softly, whispering a thank you into his ear. He waves slightly as she leaves, holding the door open a little longer. He glances back over at Alec, who had been surprising quiet during the exchange. “Well, Alexander, you’ll have to excuse me. I have friends coming over in a few hours and I have much to prepare.” Before Alec can respond, Magnus holds a hand up. “My co-owner Ragnor runs the shop on Tuesday’s. I have the day off and I guess I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it. I’ll meet you here at 10am and we’ll… discuss.” He moves aside just enough for Alec to brush past him as he moves to leave. 

“You’re going to magically help that girl get a date to prom?” He asks, a small sliver of hope in his tone that Magnus had not expected. He waves his hands, effectively shrugging off the comment. 

“I’m going to try my best. Goodnight, Alec Lightwood.” He almost has the door shut when Alec leans in, placing a gentle kiss to his cheek. Alec was full of unexpected surprises.

“Goodnight, Magnus Bane.” He waves slightly before jogging off to his car, leaving Magnus practically gaping behind him. 

******

Tuesday mornings for Magnus were spent tending to his herb garden, playing with his cat, Chairman Meow, and gallivanting in the woods near his house. Witches were natural creatures, their power coming from the glories of earth, he couldn’t deny that. His coven had worked some magic last night for Cordelia and he was feeling on top of the world. When 9am rolled around, he had almost forgotten about meeting with Alec. 

Alec was unexpected. He obviously didn’t believe in witchcraft, which usually put Magnus off any soft feelings for a person. Alec was different. He didn’t believe in witchcraft, but Magnus believed he respected it, would respect him. It helped that Alec was absolutely beautiful. Magnus never considered himself as having a type. He’d dated men and women over the years, tall, short, skinny, big, blonde, brunette, but something about Alec had his heart spinning in circles. He couldn’t get those big, hazel eyes out of his mind. The way they looked at him, the way they shined with laughter and with hope. The way they ran up and down Magnus’ body. He shivered at the thought, perfecting his eyeliner with the snap of his fingers. He was there to help Alec with a story. A story about witches because well, he was one. Whether Alec believed it or not wouldn’t be a problem. Magnus thought he’d have a lot of fun convincing him otherwise. 

When he walked up to Pandemonium at 10am on the dot, he witnessed Alec inside, speaking to a very irritated looking Ragnor. Magnus sighed, pushing the door open, the bell chimes making both witch and writer look his way. 

“Magnus, this… kid tells me you’ve agreed to help him with a novel based on witches?” Ragnor’s disgust was evident in his tone, but it didn’t collapse the smile on Alec’s face. 

“I did, Ragnor. We’ll be out of your way in a moment.” He let his eyes wander over to Alec’s, who was chucking quietly to himself. If Magnus didn’t know any better, he’d say Ragnor’s disgust was hysterical to him.

“Magnus, you look wonderful today,” Alec exclaimed, pressing a kiss to his cheek once again. Magnus shook his head softly at Ragnor’s expression as he pressed his hand to Alec’s shoulder. 

“I look wonderful every day, Alexander,” he replied, the flirtation evident in his voice. “Ragnor, we’ll be out back in my office if you need anything, okay?” Ragnor gave a noncommittal shrug and huffed, turning back to the door as more customers wandered in. Magnus took Alec’s hand lightly in his, leading him to the private office in the back of the building. “Ragnor isn’t exactly the social type. He prefers independent witchcraft.” Alec raised his eyebrows at that. 

“Ragnor is a witch, too?” He asked, surprised by the news. 

“Ragnor practices witchcraft, much like me, except he doesn’t flaunt it as much as I do. You can say I like the attention while Ragnor would rather hide behind candles.” He says so pointedly, assuming Alec would get the hint that this business deal was between them and no one else in his circle. They both took a seat, Magnus behind his desk with Alec dragging a chair in the corner to the front of the desk. He sat a bit stiffly, gesturing to a tape recorder, silently asking if it was alright to use. Magnus nodded, leaning back in his own chair and crossing his legs. 

“I get the hint. My business is with you, Magnus Bane. Now, tell me, when did you decide to become a witch?” Magnus raised his eyebrows at the question and rattled off one of his own. 

“When did you decide you liked men?” The shock was evident on Alec’s face at the rebuttal. His jaw dropped open slightly, his eyes narrowing. 

“I mean, that’s a little bit different than practicing witchcraft, isn’t it?” He shot back, leaning back comfortably in the chair. 

“Oh, but it isn’t. I’ve known about my own sexuality about as long as I’ve known I was a witch. Both were a feeling within me that couldn’t be changed even if I wanted to. I don’t, for the record.” He sat up a bit straighter in his chair, waiting for Alec to respond. There were a few moments of silence before Alec nodded his head. 

“Okay, then when did you feel you were a witch?” Magnus laughed, letting his hands rest on the desk in front of him. 

“Probably from the time I levitated out of my crib.” There was humor in Alec’s eyes as he smiled at Magnus. 

“Oh, man, your parents must have had a time with you.” Magnus wasn’t expecting that response. He expected a disbelieving laugh or even a shake of the head, but not acceptance. 

“Just my mom, for the most part. My dad died when I was 7,” he said back softly. He didn’t speak much of his dad to anyone. Those closest to him knew the story behind his father’s death. It wasn’t exactly one he was willing to share with Alec. 

“I’m sorry about that.” Alec matched his tone with Magnus’, letting his hand rest lightly over the witches. The contact made them both stiffen when a small shock erupted as their hands touched. “Was that magic?” Alec asked, his eyes slightly teasing. 

“That was static electricity, Lightwood. I’m sure you learned about it in school.” Magnus did pull his hands away, though. Static or not, he didn’t like the feelings that went through him. “Next question…”

“Okay, your abilities. What are they?” Alec’s face was serious causing Magnus to smile ever so slightly. 

“Well, I have many. I’ve been a practicing witch for about 20 years now. My mastery is in potions, but the basic skills of any witch are present in me.” Alec nodded, making a note on the pad of paper he had sitting in his lap. 

“What are some basic skills?” Magnus raised his hand, snapping. As if out of this air, the book Magnus gave Alec to read was sitting in front of them. Alec blinked, looking around the room. His hands touched the book, lifting it and assessing it. Magnus could only assume he was checking for a wire. 

“Okay, that’s a really neat trick. Let me guess, a secret compartment? Wires?” He got up from his chair, wandering around the room, waving his hands like he was about to walk into a wire. Magnus was stuck between laughing and feeling slightly offended. 

“That was magic, my dear. Basic magic. Conjuring is one of the first things you learn. I can’t tell you how many times I conjured up cookies after bedtime when I was a child.” He smirked, meeting Alec’s gaze again. 

“Conjuring? Okay. What else?” He practically ran back to his chair, making notes on his pad again. Magnus took this as a challenge and waved his hand slightly upwards. Before Alec could figure out what he was doing, he felt his feet leave the ground. He gasped, grasping onto the arms of the chair. “This has to be a trick. Where are the wires, Magnus? I’m not fucking around anymore.” The anger surprised Magnus, just enough to let the chair plop back onto the ground.

“Levitating is not fucking around, Alexander. It’s another basic skill.” Alec was out of his chair in a heartbeat, running his hands along the wood. He kneeled down next to it, feeling the floor. Magnus rolled his eyes at how ridiculous the writer looked. “Alec, you wanted your proof, you have it. There’s no trickery in this office.” Magnus felt his heart sink at the scoff that left Alec’s mouth. The writer took a few steps towards Magnus, finger pointing. 

“You expect me to believe that you’re actually able to conjure and levitate, Magnus? This is bullshit and you know it. You’re going to tell me how you…” Before Alec could come any closer, he was thrown up against the wall behind them, feet off the ground, hands stuck to his sides. He gasped again, looking around the room. For the first time, he saw the blue mist coming out of Magnus’ fingertips. 

“Enough!” Magnus exclaimed, letting Alec drop to the floor with a thud. Alec breathed in slowly, letting his eyes meet Magnus’. 

“You… How did you… I can’t…” The words were leaving Alec’s mouth before he had a chance to gather his thoughts. Standing up, he took another step towards Magnus. At the warning glare and glint of blue coming from his hands, Alec stopped, holding up his own hands in surrender. 

“You sure know how to prove a point.” He sighed, letting his body relax back into the chair that had previously been levitating under him. “You’re a witch, huh? Like, an honest to god witch?” The words were said with disbelief, though Magnus was quite sure he believed him now. 

“More like honest to Goddess, but we can get into semantics later.” Magnus took his own seat, conjuring up 2 coffees for himself and Alec. 

“Thank you,” Alec muttered, not attempting to understand how the coffee appeared in front of him. He took a giant gulp before kicking his feet out in surrender. “Do you throw people up against walls like that often?” His tone was light, but Magnus could sense a tiny bit of fear in his voice. 

“Only when they ask me to.” Magnus replied, earning a small chuckle from Alec. Magnus stood up, walking around the desk to perch himself on top of it in front of Alec. “I may have 20 years of experience, but I still let my anger get the better of me at times. I’m sorry for that… display. There were better ways to show you I was being truthful.” The apology was clear in his eyes as Alec met them. The writer reached out, taking one of Magnus’ hands in his own and inspecting it. 

“Your magic is blue. Is it always like that?” Magnus tilted his head questioningly, letting his hand be fondled. 

“My magic is whatever color I want it to be. Red if I’m really angry, yellow if I’m relaxed, green if I’m working with nature. It’s not usually blue. Guess there’s some things I don’t know about myself.” His voice was quiet, focusing on the hands gripping his own. Alec let him go and went back to writing in his notepad. “What do you have to make note of now?” Magnus asked, curious. 

“You have really pretty hands,” he murmurs, letting his eyes meet the witches softly. “You’d think your hands would be… I don’t know… overused. But they’re soft and… pretty.” He realizes his words aren’t exactly making much sense, but the soft smile of Magnus’ face makes his stomach flutter. 

“Thank you, Alexander.” He looks at his own hands, letting his magic flow out once again, this time softly. It’s yellow again, the normal color for Magnus. He’s relaxed and secure. Alec waves his hand over the mist, yelping quietly at the feel. 

“It’s warm, like I just put my hand over a candle.” He says, mostly to himself. He writes that down, muttering some other thoughts to himself. Magnus lets his magic die and stands up. 

“I think that’s enough for one day, Alec. Is there anything else you need from me?” Alec’s head jerks up, eyes widening. 

“There’s so many more questions I have for you, Magnus. Can I see you again? Maybe at your own house. I want to get a feel for what type of place my main character would live in.” Magnus’ own eyes widen. 

“You’re still going to write the story. Even after…” He gestures vaguely to the wall he had just had Alec pinned to with magic. There was a twinkle in Alec’s eyes that softened Magnus just a bit. 

“Magnus, I need to write this story now. Especially after that little show. Promise not to throw me around anymore?” He holds his hand out for a shake, tilting his head. 

“I can’t make any promises, Alexander,” he replies, letting his hand grip the writers. With that, Alec makes his way out of his office. He hears a shouted goodbye to Ragnor and the chime of the bell before he lets himself lean against the door, letting out a breath of relief. Alec was an anomaly if he’d ever known one. Most people would be screaming to get away or planning to burn the witch, but Alec wanted to see him again. He couldn’t help the knot that had formed in his stomach. He liked Alec, a bit more than he was comfortable with. His thoughts were interrupted at the knock on his door. It was too loud and boisterous for it to be anyone besides Ragnor. 

“I could feel your magic from the store, Magnus. What are you doing with that writer?” His tone was deep and disapproving. 

“You’re the one who reads his books, Ragnor. He wants to write about a witch and apparently, he came to the right place. I didn’t mean to show him as much as I did, but you know how I can get.” He shrugged, letting himself sit behind his desk, pretending to sort through papers. 

“Magnus, I do know how you can get. You let your emotions get the better of you and those who don’t understand magic use it against you. I won’t let that happen again.” As much as Magnus wanted to be upset with Ragnor, he knew he had a point. When he was in his twenties, he fell hard. He fell harder than he thought possible for a twenty-something and it shattered him in the end. All she wanted was access to magic. Magnus didn’t think Alec was the same. He couldn’t be the same. But he wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. 

“I promise I will be careful. With my magic and with my heart.” Ragnor nodded at him, turning around to leave. “Ragnor, I’m going to stay back here for a bit and then head home for the day. You’re good with the shop?” Ragnor nodded again, shutting the door behind him. Magnus’ eyes searched his desk for something to do when he realized the pad of paper Alec was writing on was still on his desk. He reached for it, debating as to whether he wanted to see what was on the page or not. His eyes found one sentence and he smiled lightly. 

Magnus is… quite magical.

******

A few days had passed since Alec Lightwood had made his way into Magnus’ shop. Magnus was trying not to let his lack of presence distract him from his life but seemed to be failing miserably. He heard the bell chime as the shop door opened. Without looking up from his spell book, he greeted the customer. 

“Welcome to Pandemonium. I’m here to help you with all your magical needs.” The quiet laugh that sounded, made Magnus’ stomach tighten. He let his eyes slowly trail up until his eyes met the customers. 

“Are you? Here to help?” Alec made his way over to the register, leaning casually across the counter. “I think I’d like a potion. One to make me even more good-looking.” He chuckled, letting one of his hands run through his hair dramatically. Magnus laughed at the gesture and made his way over to a stack of books. 

“Page 102. It’ll tell you how to lower your ego,” he said jokingly. Tossing the book at Alec. He laughed again, the sound making Magnus’ stomach flutter once more. Suddenly, Alec’s eyes went a bit more serious, never straying from the witches. 

“I tried to stay away from you, Magnus, but something keeps tugging me back,” he said softly, reaching his hand out to brush a thumb along Magnus’ cheek where a small piece of glitter was resting. “Let’s have dinner tonight. At your place. We can discuss my book some more and get to know each other better.” His tone was light, but Magnus could sense the nervousness in his voice. He attributed that to the fact Alec was going to alone with a witch. He’d be nervous as well if he were a regular human. The light touch on his face, though, made him forget to be offended.

“I’d like that.” He scribbled his address down on a piece of paper, his phone number following. “I’m out of here at 6. You can meet me here at around 7?” He looked back up at Alec who had that grin on his face again. Magnus couldn’t help but shake his head with a laugh. “Do you ever stop smiling?” Magnus asked, his own smile lighting up his face. 

“I’ve got a lot to smile about. I’m about to have dinner with a pretty witch.” He leaned forward to touch his lips to Magnus’ cheek, a move that was beginning to seem normal to them both, before spinning towards the door. “I’ll see you at 7. Goodbye, Magnus.” He waved at the door, jumping a little at the chime of the bells before stepping onto the sidewalk. 

Alec couldn’t remember a time where a man had affected him like Magnus was. He wasn’t one for the chase. If a man wanted to be with him, they had to make it clear. They’d tumble into bed, Alec would leave before morning, and that was that. He attributed his one-and-done ways to his parents, or lack of them. When he was 4, his mother left him and his 2-year-old sister, Izzy, on the steps of a fire station. How cliched was that, right? He had no father to speak of and no other family willing to take him in. It was a miracle that him and Izzy could stay in the same place, but somehow their social worker had always made that possible. When he was 18, he adopted his sister out of the system, and they moved to New York. As they grew older, Izzy gained her own interests in fashion design while Alec found his heart in writing. New York was a perfect place for both. When Alec’s first book was published, he thought nothing could get better than that. Now, his 8th book had been published and his 2nd book was being turned into a movie. His sister was a top name in fashion design after one of their foster brothers, Jace, made it big into modeling and they started working together. Everything was working out for the two of them, and it was all he could ask for. 

Just because everything was working out did not mean he was going to change who he was. So, he found this witch interesting. First, he couldn’t believe he’d met an actual witch. Izzy would think he was crazy if he ever brought this up with her. Second, interesting was an understatement. Every time Alec looked at Magnus, it was like a warm heat spread though his body. He’d felt heat before, many time. He’d felt the heat with the man he picked up at the charity event a few months ago. But nothing compared to this. Alec wanted to know Magnus. And not just sexually, although he’d try his damned hardest to know him that way, too. 

For now, he would focus on dinner. He took out his phone and texted the number that Magnus had left on the piece of paper with his address.

[Suggestion: Alec]  
Hey Magnus, it’s Alec. I want to bring you dinner tonight. So, don’t plan anything okay?

[Magnus Bane]  
Hello, Alexander. I wouldn’t dream of it. See you tonight xx

Alec couldn’t help but smile down at his phone. The use of his full name threw him off. No one had really called him Alexander except for a few foster parents and occasionally Izzy when she was teasing him. He couldn’t say he didn’t like the way it sounded off of Magnus’ lips, though. And what lips those were. He’d caught himself staring at them countless times before, wondering what they would feel like on his own. If he had anything to do about it, he’d find out before the night was over. 

He walked into the grocery store, picking out the fanciest bottle of red wine he could find. He grabbed all he needed to make his famous chicken parmesan and headed to the registers. The small bouquet of flowers that found themselves into his cart was a surprise. He’d seen the brightly colored peonies on display and immediately thought of Magnus. Was he a flower guy? Maybe he didn’t even like plants. He shook his head laughing. Of course, he liked plants, he was a witch. After checking out, he made his way back to his car, checking the time. Half passed 6. He felt his heart stutter a bit, knowing it was close to being back with Magnus again. His brain paused at the thought, pushing it away somewhere in the back of his mind. This was business, with a little pleasure mixed in. This wasn’t romantic, whatsoever. He took another glance at the flowers in the passenger’s seat and sighed. Who was he kidding?

******

Magnus had rushed the remaining customers out of Pandemonium at 6:15pm. One needed something for her depression that was acting up since her boyfriend broke up with her. He had turned down her demand to harm the boyfriend, rolling his eyes at the insinuation. Why did non-witches always think witches hurt people for fun? He gave her some obsidian to repel her negative thoughts and sent her on her way, turning the open sign to closed before making one last check of the shop. Once he had blown out all the candles, turned off the calming music, and secured the register for the night, he locked the door and started his walk home. It usually took him about 10 minutes to make it home at the end of the night. For some reason, that time was nearly cut in half at the rushed steps Magnus had taken. He was excited. He was going to see Alec again tonight, in his own home. That was enough to leave his hands shaking in anticipation. He quickly changed his outfit, using magic of course, and had just finished finagling with his makeup when the doorbell rang. Chairman Meow was already at the door, always ready for a visitor. He ran down the stairs a bit too quickly for his own comfort. He stopped before the door, taking a deep breath to calm himself, before pulling it open. 

Alec looked wonderful. He had changed out of his usual light wash jeans and t-shirt and was now wearing some dark denim with a black button-down shirt. Magnus let his eyes rake over the outfit before they stopped on the flowers in his hand. 

“For me?” He asked quietly, holding his hands out. No one had ever brought him flowers. Especially ones as beautiful as those. His mind was scrambled when he noticed the number of bags in Alec’s hand. He abruptly opened the door wider, scooting Chairman out of the way. “Please, come in. The kitchen is straight through there,” he said quickly, pointing towards the back of his house. 

“Thank you.” He stopped a few feet inside the door, letting the bags drop on the ground. Magnus heard the thud and turned around, only to find his lips on Alec’s. A slight gasp left Magnus’ mouth and he hoped it was unheard by Alec. Their lips moved slowly together, once, twice, until Alec pulled away, letting his forehead rest on Magnus’. Magnus blinked a few times, gathering his own thoughts and focusing on breathing. 

“What…?” Magnus apparently hadn’t gathered his thoughts enough. Alec just laughed, running his thumb along Magnus’ cheek. 

“Hi,” he said softly, letting his lips brush over Magnus’ once more. 

“Hi to you, too,” responded Magnus, his hands reaching up to rest on Alec’s chest. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for days. I didn’t see why I had to wait any longer.” He pulled away from the witch, grabbing the bags off the floor before walking back into the kitchen. Magnus took a second, staring after the boy who just took his breath away. After composing himself, he followed Alec into the kitchen where he seemed to have made himself at home. 

“What are you making?” Magnus asked, too flustered to come up with anything else.

“I am making my famous chicken parmesan. Would you like some wine?” He asked sweetly, gesturing to the red he had breathing on the counter. Magnus nodded, going over to the cabinet to pull out two wine glasses. 

“You don’t strike me as a wine person. Or as a person who can cook.” Alec scoffed, mock offended at the words. Magnus laughed, pouring the wine and offering one glass to Alec. 

“I’ll have you know that I am an excellent cook and a wine connoisseur. As if to prove him wrong, Magnus walked over to his wine cabinet and opened one door, revealing his collection. Alec cleared his throat before taking out the ingredients for the chicken. “Okay, so maybe I’m not as much of a connoisseur as some people,” he said, shooting a pointed look at Magnus. Magnus just rolled his eyes and took a sip of the wine Alec had brought. 

“This is perfect, Alec. But you didn’t have to go through all the trouble,” he added, gesturing to the ingredients he had laying out on the counter. 

“I know you can probably just conjure up food or something, but I like cooking for men.” He says this as if he’s ever had the inclination to cook for a man before. He hasn’t, not until Magnus. 

“Well, then I will accept this gift and offer to help. I may do a lot of conjuring but I’m a pretty okay cook myself.” He made his way beside Alec, taking out pots and pans he assumed might be needed. “What can I do?” He asks. 

“You can start the pasta, while I season the chicken. This recipe is really easy and quick, so two people aren’t really necessary…” He trails off, watching Magnus reach over his arms to grab the pasta. Alec wonders how such an action could be so incredibly sexy. Magnus puts the water on to boil, taking another sip of his wine.

“You know, I have an herb garden. Have you ever used fresh herbs for your seasoning?” Alec shook his head, pointing to the jars he had bought at the grocery store. Magnus snapped his fingers and had Italian seasonings sorted out into individual little bowls to replace the jars. Alec just shook his head again, sprinkling the herbs onto his chicken. 

“You’re really impressive, you know that?” He finishes the task at hand and turns towards Magnus again. “Do you ever… dislike being a witch?” Alec asks softly, gesturing for Magnus to poor the pasta in the boiling water. “My character, I feel as though she’d give everything to just be normal, you know?” He realizes his words and stutters a bit. “Not that… you are normal just not normal… in the sense of the word that…” He trails off when he sees Magnus grinning at him. 

“I’m as normal as anyone else, Alexander. I still have to breathe, eat, drink water, and take my vitamins. I’m susceptible to pain, I have endured heartbreak, I bleed just like anyone else. I just have an extra gift on top of it.” He shrugs, stirring the pasta to give his hands something to do. 

“So, you see your magic as a gift? Not a curse?” Alec hesitates at the question, before breading the chicken and throwing it into the oven. With his hands free, he turns towards Magnus, eyes soft. 

“I guess sometimes I see it as both. I told you I was raised by just my mother…” His eyes hardened a bit at the thought. He couldn’t believe he was about to tell Alec one of his deepest secrets. “My mother loved me. She knew I was different, but she loved me anyways. My father was a different story. On my 7th birthday, he came home after my party, very drunk and very angry. I was helping my mother clean up the mess, with magic of course, and he grabbed my wrist and broke it.” Alec winced at that, reaching his hand out to grab one of Magnus’ hands. “He thought if I couldn’t use my hand, I couldn’t use magic. He went after my mother after that. He… He beat her. I could feel my magic swelling inside me as I watched his fists on her body. I lost control. He didn’t survive me losing control.” He shuddered at the memory, squeezing Alec’s hand when he realized it was in his. 

“You were only 7 years old…” Alec comforted, pulling Magnus a bit closer to him, as if to shield him from the hurt. 

“That day, my magic was a gift for saving my mother and a curse for killing my father.” The timer on the oven dinged, shocking both of the men. They both jumped, and then chuckled at the reactions. Alec let go of Magnus’ hand to take out the chicken while Magnus drained the pasts. “Alec, I don’t tell people that story. It’s not something I’m proud of. I killed a person and…” Alec interrupted him, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

“You were defending what you loved.” Alec took a deep breath and decided to supply his own story. “My sister, Izzy, and I grew up in foster care. You’ve heard the stories of how horrible some of those places can be. We lived it. I remember in one home; Izzy and I shared a room. Late one night, our foster father snuck in when he thought we were asleep. I heard him rustle Izzy’s covers and I heard her begin to weep. I jumped out of bed and saw what he was about to do. I went crazy. I punched and punched as much as a 13-year-old could.” This time Magnus laid the comforting hand on Alec’s face, urging him to keep going. “Izzy couldn’t look at me for days. It took the social worker a while to prove what a piece of scum this foster dad was but when she did, we were removed and put into another home. I was labeled as violent and ruined any chances of Izzy and I being adopted in the future. When I turned 18, I adopted Izzy and we moved to New York. That’s how I ended up here.” Alec couldn’t believe that the story had left his lips. He’d never spoken a word of it out loud. He turned away from Magnus, reaching for plates in the cabinet.

“We both have our own gifts and curses, Alexander. Witch or not, I’m human. I know that makes for a boring story, but it’s the truth.” He grabbed the plate Alec had made for him and lead them to the dining room. Magnus cleared his throat, wanting to turn the mood around. “What made you want to become a writer of the fantast sort?” He took a bite of his dinner and practically moaned at the taste. Alec’s eyes went a little wider, his eyebrows raising. 

“Good?” He asked, taking his own bite. 

“Give me a minute, I’m having a moment.” He waved a hand at Alec, causing his to chuckle. Magnus was glad to see the smile back in his eyes. 

“I started writing in foster homes. My life was shit, to say the least, and I guess I needed an escape from the real world. What better way to escape than with mysticism?” Alec shrugged, slurping up a longer piece of pasta. “I realized that I was pretty good at it and when I got older and moved to New York, I sold my first book to a publisher and things spiraled from there.” He leaned back in his chair. “As for the fantasy, I always assumed it wasn’t real which made it free range to manipulate into what I wanted it to be.” His eyes widened suddenly as he leaned forward speaking softly. “If witches are real, does that mean that…” He trailed off, unsure if he wanted the real answers. Magnus just chuckled, shaking his head at Alec. 

“Never fear, Alexander. As far as I know, witches are the only real creature from story books.” Alec nodded, content with that answer before his eyes went to the floor. 

“Who is this?” He asked softly, letting his hand roam down to pet the soft fur next to him. 

“That’s Chairman Meow, my beautiful but needy cat. He’s only next to you so you’ll give him your dinner because he knows that daddy won’t.” He chastised the cat, rolling his eyes at the seductive way Chairman flung his tail at Alec. “Don’t let him fool you, he’s relentless.”

“I think he’s pretty cute,” he cooed, taking a piece of chicken off his plate and offering it to the cat. Magnus gasped, dramatically letting a hand rise to his heart. 

“How dare you choose my cat over me?” He said loudly. He couldn’t help but laugh as Chairman hopped away, the piece of chicken still in his mouth. Alec laughed as well, letting his eyes meet Magnus’ once again. 

“I feel like if I choose you, I also have to choose your cat.” He was right, but the insinuation in his voice made Magnus swoon just a little bit. Was Alec choosing him? What was this exactly? Magnus shook his thoughts away, finishing up the last of what was on his plate. 

“So, your characters. We have the beautiful, I assume, witch. She falls for the handsome scientist who doesn’t believe in her abilities. Could a relationship like that ever work out?” He asks, standing up to take both his plate and Alec’s back into the kitchen. Alec follows him, holding both glasses of wine. 

“I guess that’s where you come in. Could you be with someone if they were constantly trying to disprove your magical ability?” Magnus had to think about that. He’d been with people who have used and abused his magic. He’d been with people who blatantly ignored his magic. He’d never been with someone who didn’t believe in it. 

“I don’t think it’s that easy,” he answered honestly. “My magic is a part of me. It’s something I wouldn’t give up for anyone, but if I met someone who didn’t believe and refused to try, I guess it would depend how much I loved them.” To ignore the seriousness, he shrugged his shoulders lightly. “I guess I’d just have to throw them into a wall like I do with other boys I like.” Alec couldn’t help the laughter that flowed through him at the memory. 

“I know your magic is real. I know it’s powerful, too. Are there like, rules, that I should follow in this story?” It was a good question, Magnus thought. Were there rules that Magnus followed every day, sure. But none were exclusive. 

“I follow my own sets of rules. I won’t do anything to harm another person. This is pretty unanimous among witches who’ve learned to control their powers. I also won’t do anything that could affect a person’s choice. I don’t do spells that involve emotions, especially love. And I won’t mess with money.” When he believes he’s covered all the bases, he can practically see the wheels turning in Alec’s mind. 

“What about Cordelia?” Alec blurts out, looking slightly embarrassed to have brought it up. 

“Why, Alexander, you’re a romantic, aren’t you?” Magnus teased, letting his fingers brush along Alec’s shoulder and down his arm. 

“I just, did you help her?” He asks hopefully, taking a rather large gulp of his wine. 

“I boosted her self-esteem. That gave her enough to ask Timmy to the prom. I’ve heard he said yes.” Alec’s smile gleamed and Magnus chuckled softly, moving just a little closer to him. “It’s not enough to make him fall in love with her, but it’s enough to give her the confidence she needs to try to make it happen. Confidence is key to any flirtation, isn’t it, Alexander?” He lets his fingers roam back up Alec’s arm, resting them lightly against his chest. Alec cocks an eyebrow, resting his wine glass on the table before taking Magnus’ and placing it beside his. 

“Confidence is one part of it. Chemistry is another. Were you any good at chemistry?” Alec took a step closer to Magnus, his tongue sliding through his lips in anticipation. Magnus couldn’t think of anything more attractive in that moment. 

“Darling, I’m a witch. Chemistry is my forte.” He cocked his head to the side, looking up at Alec through his eyelashes. Magnus wasn’t one to make the first move, and apparently Alec understood that. With a swift movement, Alec had his hands around Magnus’ waist, lifting him onto the countertop. Magnus’ gasp was quickly swallowed by Alec’s lips against his. Magnus let his hands slide around Alec’s neck, pulling him in closer with the tug of his hand. All Magnus could feel was Alec’s body against his own, rocking back and forth to a slow and steady rhythm. He couldn’t help but moan at the contact, feeling Alec’s hands slide up his hips, lifting his shirt as he went. Magnus bit down on Alec’s lip, none too gently, causing a small gasp to release from Alec’s mouth. Magnus smiled at the sound, letting his tongue reach out to soothe the sore spot. When Alec’s tongue met his own, he melted into his grip, his own hands sliding into Alec’s hair and gripping hard. Alec threw his head back at the feeling and Magnus took this opportunity to slide his lips down the writer’s jaw and neck, sucking softly at the pulse that was jumping there. Alec moaned again, his body pushing against Magnus’ just a little harder. At the contact, Magnus felt his eyes change and quickly turned his head, covering his face with his hands. At the abrupt movement, Alec pushed back, letting his hands rest on Magnus’ knees. 

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did I do something?” His voice was filled with worry and Magnus couldn’t help but smile. 

“No, it’s nothing you did…” He trailed off, focusing on glamouring his eyes once more. Once he felt them return to normal, he raised them back to Alec’s. 

“What was that, Magnus?” Magnus could hear the worry in his voice lessen slightly at the eye contact. “What happened to your eyes?” Magnus felt a wave of panic rise up inside him. 

“Did you see them?” His glamoured eyes widened, fear evident inside them. 

“Scares the hell out of you, doesn’t it?” Alec said softly, his thumb rubbing a trail just underneath them. “You can show me, Magnus. I won’t run away.” Magnus shook his head, looking away again. Alec sighed, rubbing Magnus’ knee with the hand that wasn’t on his face. 

“Witches are born looking like normal humans. There’s usually a mark that shows itself when your magic becomes powerful enough.” He paused, glancing back at Alec’s eyes. He could see the trust in them, almost too clearly. “Most have colorful birthmarks, easily hidden by clothes. My mark is… my eyes.” He unglamoured them, letting Alec see the yellow cat eyes that were actually his. Alec couldn’t help the gasp that left his lips. He’d never seen anything like it. He’d never seen anything more… beautiful. The hand that was on Magnus’ face stilled. Magnus could feel the rejection coming to he looked away. Alec forced him to turn back to meet his own eyes. 

“They’re beautiful, Magnus… You’re beautiful.” He leaned in slowly, waiting for approval before laying his lips gently on the witches. This kiss was soft and slow. Lips exploring lips, hands exploring bodies. Magnus felt the shiver rise through him as Alec pulled him off the counter, wrapping his legs around him. Gracefully, Alec moved them to the couch he had seen when he first walked into the house. He laid him back gently, kneeling between Magnus’ legs. His lips slowly made their way down Magnus’ neck, his fingers sliding under the fabric of his shirt once again. Magnus couldn’t help the dreamy sigh that escaped his lips. Alec chuckled, letting his lips venture back up to the witches. Magnus could feel the sharp angles of Alec’s body against his as he rose up to meet his lips. This kiss was passionate, tongue’s meeting in fervent desire as Magnus’ legs tightened around Alec’s waist. At that movement, Alec let out a loud groan, letting his head drop to Magnus’ shoulder. He could feel Magnus’ hands sliding comfortingly up his back. He leaned back up, letting his eyes focus on the man in front of him. He was so beautiful. He couldn’t help but move his hand to the witch’s face, stroking a fallen piece of hair off his forehead. He brushed his lips lightly against Magnus’, savoring his taste. He loved how Magnus tasted. He loved how Magnus felt. It was like being home. At the thought, he pushed himself back again, letting his hands rest of Magnus’ sides. 

“Are you okay?” Magnus asked gently, letting his hips fall back to the couch. It took everything in him to stop the movement. Alec’s hands were still running up and down his sides slowly, leaving a trail of warmth through Magnus’ body. 

“I’m fine… I uh… think maybe we should… stop?” His words came out as a question, one that he wasn’t expecting to ask. He’d been hard in his jeans, felt Magnus’ hardness against his own. Obviously, they both wanted this, so why in god’s name would Alec want to stop. Magnus nodded, tugging his shirt back down to cover his stomach and sliding up the couch a bit. Alec pushed himself back, taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly. 

“I… did I do something wrong?” Magnus asked, suddenly very self-conscious because of the man in front of him. Alec shook his head, standing up from the couch and adjusting himself discreetly. 

“Magnus, I like you. I don’t usually sleep with people I like.” Magnus raised an eyebrow at the statement. “I mean, there’s usually not an emotional connection with the people I sleep with.” Alec groaned, realizing that didn’t sound much better. Magnus couldn’t help but laugh. 

“I understand, Alexander.” He reached out to take Alec’s hand, shaking off the disappointment when Alec furthered the distance between them. 

“I’m going to go. I think I have more of an idea about where my novel is heading and when my brain is on a kick like this, I can’t afford to lose it.” He grabbed the jacket he’d been wearing prior to their… activities and backed to the front door. After almost stepping on Chairman, much to the cat’s dismay, he rested his hand on the door. Magnus had gotten off the couch, staring after him. “I had a great time tonight. I’ll reach out to you if I need more information. For the book. Okay, goodnight.” Alec turned the doorknob, leaving Magnus staring after him in confusion. 

Sensing something was off, Chairman made his way over to Magnus who had let himself plop back down onto the couch. He jumped up on his owner’s lap, circling a few times before curling into a ball on his thighs. Magnus wasn’t sure what just happened. He replayed the events of the night over in his head again and again. They had a perfect first kiss. They prepared dinner. They each told a heartfelt story. They ate dinner. They made out. Alec saw his witch mark. They made out more. Magnus couldn’t help but feel like being a witch wasn’t something Alec was okay with anymore. He’d scared people away with his eyes before, but Alec had called him beautiful. He’d called them beautiful. Shaking his head, he laid back on the couch, letting his glamour fall. Maybe being a witch was a curse after all.

******

Alec was halfway back to his apartment before he slammed his hand on the steering wheel, pulling the car to the side of the road. His thoughts were jumbled in his head, something that rarely ever happened to him. One word kept circling. Magnus. He’d made it a point in his life to not let anyone get too close. He’d learned, growing up in the foster system, how easily it was for people to push you aside like you didn’t matter to them in the first place. He could count on one hand the amount of people he had trusted with the story he told Magnus tonight. He could count on one finger the amount of people he loved and that wasn’t about to change, no sir. 

Kissing Magnus was fantastic. Feeling his body against his own was practically heaven. But in that moment, another word flashed in front of his eyes. Love. That was absolutely unacceptable. He didn’t love Magnus. He’d known him all of two weeks. To fall in love that quickly was something out of a sappy romance novel, one that he would absolutely not read. He slammed another palm on his steering wheel, cursing softly, before running his hand through his hair. This had to be a trick of some sort. Magnus was tricking him into believing he was in love.

Magic. Magnus was a witch. He’d seen it for himself. There was no way that he had fallen in love out of the blue after 28 years of feeling nothing but lust. He chuckled to himself softly. Magnus thinks he’s so clever, casting some love spell to trick the poor novelist who didn’t believe in witchcraft. Well, Alec would tell him exactly what he felt about that. 

******

After sleeping restlessly on his couch, Magnus woke up to Chairman’s claws poking into his chest. He laughed a bit, shoving the cat onto the floor before stretching his arms above his head. He hadn’t been awake for thirty seconds before he remembered the events of last night. He still wasn’t sure exactly what went wrong. He wanted nothing more than to talk to Alec and make things right again. Deciding that he would do just that, he got up, showered, dressed, and made his way out the door. He made a quick stop at Pandemonium, where Ragnor reassured him that he could handle the shop for the day before making his way to the address Alec had given him the first night they met. The apartment was nice. Nuzzled into the center of a park area with little patches of green you didn’t expect to see in New York. He made his way up to the apartment Alec was staying in and knocked gently. Alec answered almost immediately, his eyes narrowed. 

“Magnus.” The way he said his name sent a chill down Magnus’ spine. 

“Alexander. You rushed out last night and I didn’t get a chance to…” He was interrupted by the door slamming shut behind him. Alec was in front of him in two large steps, pointing an accusing finger in his chest. 

“What have you done to me, witch?” The tone behind the word witch made Magnus shiver, eyes shutting in pain. Calmly, Magnus pushed the hand away from his chest. 

“I’m not sure what you mean, Alec.” Alec let out a dark laugh, shaking his head quickly. 

“I should’ve expected this. I should have trusted my gut not to trust someone who can manipulate a person with the twist of their wrist. What did you do to me, huh? Was it the gem you gave me? Or maybe you slipped something in my wine? Tell me what you did to me?!” Alec was breathing heavily, hands wringing through his hair as he stared at Magnus accusingly. 

“Alec, what did I do to you?” Magnus asked, once again keeping his voice calm. He could feel his magic bubbling up inside him, ready to defend himself. 

“You made me fall in love with you!” He exclaimed. Magnus’ heart flipped, a soft smile replacing the pain on his face. 

“Alexander, I…” He was interrupted when Alec once again laid a finger on his chest. 

“So, what was it? A potion? Some spell? If you’re going to throw your magic around, I think I deserve to know.” Magnus’ heart had stopped flipping, opting instead to drop into his stomach. “I don’t fall in love. This has to be some trick, some magic trick. You and Ragnor have probably been laughing behind my back this whole time.” He turned away from Magnus, throwing his hands up in the air before turning back towards the witch. Magnus could see the hurt and anger in his eyes. 

“I didn’t do anything to you, Alec. I wouldn’t. I told you I have a rule against…” Alec was in Magnus’ face once more, but this time Magnus wasn’t going to be interrupted. He used his magic to bind Alec’s hands behind his back, freezing his body in place. “I don’t use magic to manipulate people. I don’t manipulate people’s feelings. If I did anything wrong, I reverse it. I take back whatever magic I did to make you feel that way but believe me when I say it was unintentional if it happened at all.” Alec went to speak again, feeling a tiny stab of guilt at the tears flowing down Magnus’ cheeks. “Good luck with your book, Alexander.” He let his magic waiver enough for Alec to reach out his hand, but it was too late. Magnus was already out the door. 

******

A whole week had passed since Alec had heard from Magnus. A whole week for whatever spell Magnus cast to wear off. Alec couldn’t’ shake the feeling that he was utterly and horribly wrong about the witch. He thought back to their fight countless times, replaying the hurt evident on Magnus’ face and the tears streaming down his cheeks. He was starting to feel as though maybe he was in love. Maybe Magnus hadn’t done anything besides be himself. The guilt flowed through Alec every second. The things he said to Magnus were horrible. The way he threw his magic at him like it wasn’t something to be cherished. Pulling out his laptop, he did all that he could do. He wrote. 

******

For the past week, Magnus hid in his office at the back of Pandemonium. He’d talked Ragnor into manning the register for the duration with an excuse about administrative work and restocking. Ragnor knew it was a lie of course, but he could sense the sadness in his friends’ heart. 

“Magnus,” someone spoke softly, knocking at the door. Magnus sighed, unlocking the door with a snap of his fingers. 

“Catarina, I’m fine,” he sighed. His stomach growled at the sight of the sandwich Cat had entered with. 

“You haven’t eaten anything all day. Ragnor tattled on you. I’m a nurse who takes care of people for a living and that includes my best friend.” She put the sandwich down in front of him, none too gently, raising an eyebrow when Magnus was about to argue back. He knew it was pointless, so he took a bite, savoring the taste. 

“Thank you. I…” His words were interrupted when he heard shouting at the front of the shop. 

“Where is he?! I need to see him,” a voice exclaimed. Magnus’ heart sank as he recognized it. 

“You’ve got no business coming to this shop. Magnus doesn’t want to see you and frankly, neither do I!” Magnus could hear the footsteps and then the chime of the bell, signaling the opening of the front door. “Get out!” Magnus peaked around the door to his office, Cat resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“Can you please, please, just give him this.” Magnus saw a stack of papers wrapped neatly in twine. He knew that it was Alec’s book. Stepping out of the shadows of his office, Magnus raised a hand up for Ragnor. 

“He can leave it. But he can leave, as well.” His voice was just as calm as it had been during their fight. Alec couldn’t stop his heart from skipping one too many beats at the sight of the witch. 

“Magnus, I…” He was interrupted by a small shove, landing him outside the door. Ragnor swiped his hands together like he was happy to be rid of him. Magnus stared down at the stack of papers on the desk. Grabbing them, he turned back towards his friends. 

“I’ll be in my office. Please just… leave me be.” He stalked into the back room, slamming the door behind him. Cat and Ragnor exchanged a look and a sigh before getting back to the work at hand. 

Magnus stared at the title page. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he turned the page. Should he expect anything? Should he even be reading this book? Magnus sighed, licking the tip of his finger to flip over the first page. His heart spun when he read the dedication. 

To Magnus, no spell in the world can hinder my love for you.

Alec had never included a dedication to anyone other than his sister. Magnus had taken it upon himself to read the copies of the author’s books that Ragnor had stashed in his library during the past couple of weeks. Magnus scoffed a bit after his heart had stopped fluttering. If he thinks it’ll be that easy to win me over, he’s devastatingly wrong. With that thought, Magnus turned the page again, starting the book. 

******

Alec was nervous. He wasn’t really sure what he was doing, leaning on the wall next to the shop. He’d been there for a few hours, but he couldn’t leave. He’d really messed things up with Magnus and he had no one to blame but himself. He heard the bell chime and glanced over quickly, seeing Ragnor exit the building. He could admit that the man scared the hell out of him, so he backed into the alleyway next to the store, hoping to avoid any confrontation. He had seen the other woman leave a bit earlier, sending him a sidelong glance, but saying nothing. He just nodded in return, his eyes somber, trying to display his apologies. Alec noticed that Ragnor had left the shop unlocked. He chewed on his lip, a bad habit that seemed to have started a few days ago and contemplated his next move. He walked over to the door, gripping the handle and pushed it open. The bells chiming above him caused him to jump slightly, losing his footing on the step and tumbling into the shop with a bit less grace than he had wanted. From the floor, he glanced up and saw Magnus with his book in his hands. 

“Magnus.” His voice was breathless, a mix of nerves and relief. Magnus just stared down at him, his eyes glossed as if he’d been crying. The look had Alec shooting up to his feet. He went to speak but stopped himself when Magnus held his hand up. 

“Jackson was an idiot,” he said simply, referring to the scientist character in his book. “All Melissa wanted was for him to love her. She didn’t use witchcraft to seduce him.” Alec rubbed his palms on his jeans. 

“She didn’t. Jackson realized that a short time after he broke her heart,” he responded. 

“I know that. I read the whole book. Jackson is also an idiot if he thinks that a dedication page in a novel is going to change Melissa’s mind about him.” Alec winced at that, nodding slowly. 

“I deserve that,” he said back gently. “Jackson deserves that. But, Magnus, he is new to witchcraft. He wasn’t expecting the feelings that Melissa gave him. He… He wasn’t expecting to finally find love after years of believing it was scientifically impossible.” They both knew they weren’t talking about the characters, and never had been. “When I started writing this story, I wrote an ending where Jackson proved Melissa was faking this whole time and they parted.” It was Magnus’ turn to wince at the insinuation. Alec hurriedly continued. “I realized after a few days with you that there was no world in which Jackson and Melissa didn’t belong together.” He took a chance and moved forward, reaching his hands out. He grabbed his book and set it lightly on the counter next to them. 

“Alexander…” Magnus couldn’t breathe. Seeing the man in front of him was all too much. He wanted to move away, but Alec had his hands in his own, the grip soft. He knew he could pull away if he wanted, but he’d missed Alec’s touch more than he wanted. 

“Magnus, Jackson was an idiot. I am an even bigger one. I’ve lived my whole like not believing I could find love. I believed I was tainted by my past and no one would ever be able to see past that. That night when we had dinner together, I shared that past with you, and it scared the hell out of me. Add in the fact that you’re a witch and my brain went crazy.” He moved forward a little more, resting one of his hands on Magnus’ cheek, caressing the path left by dried tears. “I couldn’t believe that falling in love could happen that fast or that intensely. And I was such an idiot. When I came here, I couldn’t write. I had ideas in my head, but nothing would flow out onto paper. When I met you, I couldn’t stop writing. I kept thinking about you and I couldn’t stop the words. Every single scene in this book manifested itself from my feelings for you.” He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Magnus’. 

“I love you, Magnus. I really love you and magic has nothing to do with it.” He let out his breath, tightening the hold he had on the witch’s hand. When Magnus smiled, his heart jumped, and he lost his breath once again. 

“I love you, Alexander. And magic has everything to do with it.” He leaned in close, letting his lips rest on Alec’s lightly. For the first time in both of their lives, they were in love. And magic had everything and nothing to do with it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not great at writing long stories with lots of character development and stuff, but I think I wrote what I wanted. Thanks for reading!
> 
> If you guys have prompts or anything for me, I have a [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/)  
> !!


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